Olympics
Blessing Oborududu pens emotional apology to Nigerians
One of the biggest medal hopes for Team Nigeria, Blessing Oborodudu who failed in her bid to win at least a bronze medal has penned an emotional apology to Nigerians. At the last Olympics in Tokyo three years ago, she won a silver medal.
But after raising hopes, she failed in her semi-finals bout with Nonoka Ozaki of japan. Then in the bronze medal fight, she again lost again.
She has now used her facebook wall to express apologies for the disappointment. She writes:
“To my dearest fans, friends and family.
Today I share this with a pained but yet a grateful heart. I went for the Paris 2024 Olympics with a determination to get a medal but unfortunately I lost on Tuesday while contesting for the bronze medal. I was so determined to get this one regardless of the circumstances.
“With so many demotivating factors that occurred around me, including sustaining a fracture on my femur bone that medically ruled me out completely from going to Paris by the Medical Director. I took a bold step, looking at the promises I have made to you, to my country, to myself, the hopes I pass on to the younger athletes God has blessed me to mentor per time, and as I penned down an undertaking, relieving anyone from any responsibility of whatever happens to me and taking my life in my hands, I proceeded to the Olympics.
“With this move I went to Paris with hopes and dreams. I made it to the Semi Finals. But as God would have it, I didn’t clinch on any medal. I was devastated, I felt so much pain, I still do.
“But then in the midst of it all, I began to realize certain truths, wins and blessings that had occurred for me even in this seemingly loss of mine.
“I realized that in this Olympics I actually had my best performance from all other Olympics attended, that I didn’t lose my leg completely in the process, that I had an angel in the form of Coach Happy who stood by me through it all even when I was left behind and others had proceeded to Germany without me, that I had my other coaches, Coach Purity Akuh and Coach Victor Kodei alongside my team mates praying for me, that I had fans, family and friends that supported me and celebrated me even more when I lost, that I was honored with a standing and clapping ovation as I walked out of that mat in pain, that I fought the challenges life threw at me with resilience and still made it to Paris, that I have a God who still got my back even though sometimes we might not understand why certain things happen or turn out the way it does.
“This is me saying, I am still grateful. I won. I won at life, I won at not backing down even with all the odds against me, I won at not failing you all by representing our nation on the highest sports platform in the world.
“So please don’t feel disappointed at me for not clinching a medal at least, don’t be sad for me. Instead, rejoice and be glad, cause today, we are all winners!
“My heart goes out to all other African athletes remaining, set to clinch their medals. If I could in Tokyo 2020 Olympics, you too can. We are counting on you and believe anything is possible. Africa must be seen on that table. But whatever is the outcome, Nigeria wins, Africa wins.
“One love. Special thanks to all my coaches, stakeholders and all the board members of the Nigerian Wrestling Federation, to my dear leader and mentor, Hon. Daniel Igali and the Nigerian Olympic Committee.
“A very big thank you to the Federal Ministry of Sports, for those who stood by me encouraging me to forge ahead, everyone that genuinely got my back in the process. God bless you all.”
Nigeria’s Super Falcons will face a confident and free-scoring Comoros side in the next round of the women’s football qualifiers for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games after the island nation completed a staggering 30-0 aggregate demolition of Sudan.
Comoros sealed their passage to the next stage with a 13-0 victory in the second leg of their first-round tie, having already recorded a commanding win in the opening match. The result saw the Coelacanthes score an extraordinary 30 goals across the two legs without conceding a single goal.
The emphatic triumph has generated excitement around the rapidly improving Comoros women’s national team, but a much sterner examination now awaits against Africa’s most successful women’s football nation.
Nigeria, ten-time African champions and one of the continent’s traditional powerhouses, enter the next round as overwhelming favourites. However, Comoros’ remarkable scoring exploits against Sudan suggest they will arrive with growing confidence and belief.
The Coelacanthes dominated both encounters from start to finish, displaying clinical finishing and defensive solidity that left Sudan with no answer. Their tally of 30 goals over two matches represents an astonishing average of 15 goals per game.
For Nigeria, the fixture will mark the beginning of another quest for Olympic qualification after missing out on the women’s football tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The Super Falcons, who recently impressed in their international friendly victories over Senegal in Ikenne, boast vastly greater experience and pedigree than their upcoming opponents. The nine-time Women’s Africa Cup of Nations champions have consistently been among the continent’s strongest teams and remain Africa’s highest-ranked women’s national side.
Comoros coach Youssouf Abdallah has described his team’s performances against Sudan as evidence of the progress being made within the squad, but the encounter with Nigeria will provide a true measure of their development.
While Comoros’ record-breaking victory has captured attention across African football, the challenge of overcoming Nigeria represents a significant leap in quality. The Super Falcons have traditionally dominated lower-ranked African opponents and will be expected to continue their march towards a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The dates for the second-round qualifiers are expected to be confirmed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), with the winners advancing further in the race for a place at the Olympic Games in the United States.
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By Kunle Solaja.
Nigeria’s senior women’s national team, the Super Falcons, will begin their campaign for a place at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games from the second round of the African qualifiers after being granted a bye in the opening stage.
The draw, conducted on Wednesday in Cairo by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), placed Nigeria among 29 higher-ranked teams exempted from the first round of the series.
The Super Falcons will take on the winner of the first-round clash between South Sudan and Comoros in their opening fixture of the qualifiers.
A total of 35 nations are competing for just two available slots allocated to Africa for the women’s football tournament at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, underlining the intensity and high stakes of the qualification process.
The qualifiers will be contested over five knockout rounds on a home-and-away basis, leaving little room for error as teams battle for continental representation on the global stage.
The first round involves the six lowest-ranked teams—Sudan, Mauritius, Djibouti, South Sudan, Madagascar and Comoros—based on the latest FIFA Women’s World Rankings. Winners from this stage will advance to face each other again before the 29 seeded teams, including Nigeria, enter the fray.
Nigeria will be aiming to consolidate their status among Africa’s elite women’s football nations, having qualified for the most recent Olympic tournament alongside Zambia at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Although the Super Falcons boast a notable Olympic pedigree, having made their debut at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and subsequently appearing at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and Paris 2024, qualification has not always been easy.
The 16-year gap between their last two participations in Beijing 2008 and Paris 2024 illustrates the tough time they have endured in the qualifying series.
With the women’s football event at Los Angeles 2028 set to feature 16 teams—including hosts the United States—Nigeria’s path to qualification is expected to be demanding.
Attention will now shift to the preliminary encounter between South Sudan and Comoros, as Nigeria’s technical crew intensify preparations ahead of their second-round entry point.
For the Super Falcons, the mission is clear: successfully navigate a rigorous qualifying campaign and secure a return to the Olympic stage in 2028.
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Nigeria’s senior women’s national team, the Super Falcons, will on Wednesday discover their route to the football event of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles when the Confederation of African Football conducts the official draw in Cairo.
The draw ceremony, scheduled for April 29 at CAF headquarters in Egypt, will set in motion Africa’s qualifying campaign for the women’s football tournament of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
A total of 35 countries, including Nigeria, will participate in the race for just two tickets allocated to Africa for the Olympic football event, which will take place from July 11 to 29, 2028.
Alongside Nigeria, other contenders include continental heavyweights such as South Africa, Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco and Zambia, as well as a wide range of emerging nations from across the continent.
The full list of participating teams also features Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
According to CAF, the qualification series will be played over five rounds, gradually narrowing the field to the two teams that will fly Africa’s flag at the Olympics in the United States.
For Nigeria, Africa’s most successful women’s national team, the qualifiers present another opportunity to reaffirm their continental dominance and secure a return to the Olympic stage after recent mixed fortunes in global competitions.
The Super Falcons, nine-time African champions, are expected to be among the top seeds when the draw is conducted, a factor that could influence their early-round opponents.
Wednesday’s ceremony in Cairo will therefore provide clarity on the fixtures, timelines and potential hurdles facing Nigeria and other contenders as the road to Los Angeles officially begins.
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